


We Were Fated From the Beginning

by RoseintheWind



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Backstory, Character Death, Demons, FHQ, Fight Scene, Final Haikyuu Quest, Gore, Happy Ending?, I'm so sorry, Kinda Matsuhana?, Knights - Freeform, Like please stop, Like why did I decide this?, M/M, On both characters and author, Poetry, Prophecy, Regret, Symbolism, Timelines, Torture, Why does everything hurt?, a small mention of kagehina, its not kinky tho I promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-07
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2020-11-26 21:08:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20936777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseintheWind/pseuds/RoseintheWind
Summary: Iwaizumi and Oikawa are from two different places, two that should never be together. However, it's not other people that decide this for them, but fate, who had other plans ever since they were born.Or, in which Oikawa and Iwaizumi learn that across every timeline there is no such thing as a perfect happy ending.A tragedy sparked with longing and a bond split into four parts: past, present, future, true end.





	1. The Past Won't Sever Us

**Author's Note:**

> Look who's back again, unable to write within a singular timeframe! That's right it's me! Okay, but can I just say that this first chapter took forever? I had this four-part idea in my head for a while and eventually lost motivation for it, but one day it came back and I was like, okay sounds good brain! I started this chapter in the middle of summer but just procrastinated so much that I didn't get it done until now. And of course school's started, so I'm going to be extra busy. I just hope to finish this, and I've really got no schedule yet, but I hope you'll stick around for the whole thing.
> 
> Oh and this story has music for chapters so here you go! (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞ [☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G3_kG5FFfQ)

The wind had sung a special requiem that day, the chaos of the kingdom being held together by mere strands but the hope still sang out through erratic gusts and storm painted plains. Iwaizumi had sprinted through the fragmented castle, the memories in the back of his mind bursting at the seams but his overall goal held them back.

He wasn't sure if he had made it in time, after all, it felt like "making it in time" was long overdue. Oikawa had been an unstable mess of power and sought a destructive path, much like the others with those eyes.

Iwaizumi's mind might not have been thinking, his vision hazed and senses drowned, but his feet knew where to go. His feet would always take him to the right place.

The memories continued to thrash through his skull as familiar sights he would've welcomed and enveloped with a lazy smile if he weren't on the brink of pouring out his emotions just as a tactic to try to get Oikawa to come home.

He was right where Iwaizumi expected he was; in the middle of the training ring for the Royal Guards. Oikawa seemed to be intaking everything with intrigue and determination. The ring hadn't been anything special, just a simple stone structure with multiple layers, holes and torch holders much like a gladiator arena. Iwaizumi had never seen these lit. Maybe as a memento to the chunk of forest that was there previously.

"So you've finally come." Oikawa's shifted side glance turned to an attentive full moon.

"As if I wouldn't! Do you not see everything that's going on around you? You're hurting people. I can't just sit back and watch you destroy them." He gritted.

"Ah, that's so Iwa-chan-like. You'd rather save them, even with their worthless lives, then rule with me. I still hold up the offer too, aren't I nice?"

Iwaizumi almost laughed but despite the tease, Oikawa's eyes bore a challenging expression. The full red stared back at him like a jewel, but he could never love these. He knew that this was no longer Oikawa and to try to do anything out of line would be added pressure to his already cracked form. But these eyes he couldn't help but stare in disgust. They were not Oikawa's.

They were fake.

_ Fake, fake, fake, fake, fake, fake _ . ** Fake **.

"You don't have to do this. We could go home and fix everything and all have a happy ending."

Oikawa snorted. "If we could have a happy ending my father wouldn't have killed everyone. We wouldn't be here due to me being "evil' and we would have burned that stupid piece of paper."

"But you know we can't-"

"Yes, yes we can't burn those because they're important and will still work regardless but we can't go back now. The reason we're here is because of our choices. Now, aren't you here for a fight? Let's get on with it."

Iwaizumi had a lump stuck in his throat. Oikawa had closed the discussion, the loop. If he had anything more to say he didn't think he'd be able to get it out. So instead he drew his sword, one of many years ago when he was donned as an official knight. The memories spoke for themselves with the first clash of metal against magic as the arena erupted in flames.

** ～～～～～～✯～～～～～～ **

_ 15 Years Ago _

Tooru's erratic heartbeat pounded through every step of his desperate sprint. It was like the Earth had sucked every drop of stamina he had, draining it through his feet.

At the meager age of five, his legs could carry him to the far reaches of the kingdom, but could only carry him so far before he had to give out. But this time, it was important. Important he ran away, important he could still carry his life, important that his breath had not gone ragged before he could not breathe or legs ultimately failed.

They were chasing, gaining on him like a pack of wolves to a rabbit. It had been the third time in two weeks he was getting pounced on. It was entirely his fault. He knew this.

The first time, on a captivating celestial night the stars came out to play and the full moon shone like a beacon to the heavens and beyond. They danced around the navy of the night and it was the first time Tooru had seen them and fell in love, the first time he truly understood beauty.

There had been a few boys messing around that night and Tooru felt a slight pang of jealousy. He really wasn't supposed to be here, he had snuck out. His mother would alert someone that her son had gone missing in a flurried panic, and his father would do...nothing. He was rarely around anyway and certainly wasn't there then.

He was scarcely outside the castle, with a few lanterns to light the streets. His craned neck was starting to throb so he took a curious glance toward the boys. One had noticed his look and walked over, gaining more height on him then Tooru initially thought he would. The other two dragged behind, measuring up who could possibly be worth their leaders' time.

"What'cha doing out here?"

"I came to see the stars!" The immediate replay almost startled the two back boys.

"The stars are boring! Why don't you come and play with us?" He smirked.

"I guess... but I really like the-"

A gasp had cut him off.

"Y-you!" One of the back boys screeched to the confusion of the rest. "He's one of them! He's a-"

_ Demon _

Tooru's eyes widened at his own mistake. He really wasn't a big give away, but the slight crimson rim clutching his eyes possessively like they weren't even his told otherwise. He was too terrified to even make a move and the others decided that he indeed was an enemy.

That was how he had flocked all the way back to the castle as the stars seemed a little less bright than before.

Now he was stumbling through the trees behind the castle, vision hazed as a mix of tears and raindrops fogged it up. He ran aimlessly, only hoping to escape.

He thought he was close, oh so close before he slipped in the forest mud and fell face first. The adrenaline faded and his tears and snot fell freely, knowing there was no way out of this. Perhaps the Hellebore flowers that scattered the forest as far as the eyes could see would kill him first. His mother had told him to heed the forest, the beauty of the plants being toxic.

But he'd take poison over a beating, savoring the color as his eyes faded to starless heaven. 

"W-why are you doing this?" The words stumbled out with less of a questioning intent. Looking back, he was surprised he hadn't answered his own question.

He trembled in the mud, awaiting the blows that would follow but they never came. He slowly lifted his head to see someone else standing in front of him, a wooden sword in hand.

"Good question," The boys' gruff voice replied. "Why are you doing this?"

The leader snorted. "You think you're so cool with that stupid sword? I'll break it to pieces!" His posse sniggered.

The boy jabbed his sword lightly to his stomach. "Take a closer look before I actually hurt you."

That was the second and last time Tooru had seen them in such an electrified state.

The hilt was covered in intricate swirled designs but all revolved around the crest -a circle with two pointed petals on the top and bottom- much like how planets revolve around the sun.

"The son of the Royal Guard General?" One of the boys screeched.

"And he's right around the corner." The boy confirmed.

The boys ran faster away then whenever they were chasing Tooru.

He stifled a laugh.

"Are you okay?" Was asked as a hand was offered.

"Yes, thank you!" Tooru replied with a bright smile before it getting abruptly dropped. "Gross, I'm covered in all kinds of stuff."

"Can I take that?"

"Huh? Take what?" Tooru's head snapped up to meet the boys' familiar forest green ones.

"The bug stuck in your hair. I've been collecting them!"

"The _ WHAT _ ?"

But it was quickly snatched off before another word was said.

"...I'm surprised you actually came to protect me," Tooru mumbled.

"Hm?"

"Nothing."

"...Why would you say that?"

"Because I'm a-a" Tooru's voice had submerged to a whisper.

"Demon?"

"Wha- I mean ye-"

"I think it's stupid that people have to hate other people just because of who they are. Isn't the king included as a demon anyway?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean he's great," Tooru muttered again. "What kind of king just leaves his kingdom forever?"

The boy either hadn't heard or ignored him. "Crap, I've gotta go! I'm really not supposed to be out here."

"Wait, can we hang out again sometime?"

The boy contemplated this. "Sure. Tomorrow, same time, same spot."

He started to run off again, but Tooru caught him before the thought lost him. "What's your name?"

"Hajime Iwaizumi!"

"Hi, Hajime! I'm Tooru Oikawa!"

Needless to say, they both shared twin smiles on their walks back home.

Meeting up again was always a fleeting decision. Hajime was almost always in at least his fathers' peripheral vision, under a lock and key for freedom. But Hajime always would meet at the exact same time, for the exact same training. A complaint never left his mouth, and he worked hard to see his father smile at his progression.

Tooru, on the other hand, fought with his mother constantly and barley acknowledged his fathers' existence every time he came home.

"I don't need this stupid training! I just want to be with Hajime!"

By now, Akuma Oikawa had seen her son be at his happiest with the Captain of the Royal Gaurd's son. She found it quite worrisome how before, he'd sometimes come home with multiple bruises, littered like someone had wanted to turn his skin into a different shade altogether. She'd knock on his door with kind words and reassurance at her feet, but were always kicked away by the son who "didn't want to hear anything from someone who wasn't there the first time, or the second, or any other, so why should you be here now?"

She'd stopped trying to get him to train at night because he'd always refuse and she was simply too tired with her husbands' work to care.

Her quiet relief came when he no longer came home in a stormy mood, but a smile gracing his face. Like how it was always supposed to be. She had then increased how much he had to work because she knew that junior guard training would start soon.

Her smile had never wavered as she constantly assured the village that their king would be back and that they were safe. But throughout his disappearances, she had cried herself to bed wishing for his safety and faith. Slowly, with the seasons fluttering by, her belief in herself waned away like the warmth next to her in bed.

All she wanted was her family to be together and happy. She wished back to a time when her best friend, Senshi Iwaizumi was still alive.

Things over time had changed at a boundless pace, mercy ungiven even when it was never asked to be merciful. Tooru was becoming fit to rule the kingdom, his smiles charming the villagers and magic power becoming one to cower about. Hajime rose the ranks as one of the strongest knights the Guard had ever seen. ("That's what he gets for being the Captains' son ahaha.")

Tooru and Hajime had eventually become Shittykawa and Iwa-chan but in front of anyone else, it was Oikawa and Iwaizumi, another remnant of the tides of time.

Oikawa began to travel more with his father to become acquainted with the sons of other kingdoms. His charm had won most leaders over, and his wit won the others. He had taken a much grander interest in magic and had advanced to a level of almost his father's. But the one thing he had never accepted, was a prophecy.

"Those are all fake Mom! The stars say so!" Akuma would only smile sadly every time, never getting too in-depth with any prophecy anyway.

** ～～～～～～✯～～～～～～ **

_ The Prophecy _

_ "Hajime! Come here, look what I found!" A six-year-old Tooru had called, imagination pierced by a sudden glowing paper. _

_ It had almost called out to them, tumbling from the dust-ridden shelf on top of a stack of other less interesting and less glowy papers. _

_ Tooru didn't particularly like reading or writing but anything that shattered his already wide, uninterested view of the world was worth his brain's interest. _

_ Hajime had fallen in step beside him, curious eyes caught by the glowing trap. _

_ Tooru would call that day "fate". Maybe if he were a little smarter like his father wished he and Hajime wouldn't have to bet their lives for the feelings of each other. _

_ Neither had the greatest reading skill but Tooru was confident, a trait he had been building the past few months. _

** _ The Final Day _ **

_ A day to reconcile what has been lost to us, _

_ a promise long ago. _

_ The 1004th decedents of the ruler who has forgotten blood on his hands _

_ and the one that uses the crested blade to serve and protect have been chosen. _

_ Our veins will align no matter the previous tree of decent. _

_ The deities have spoken to us, this is our offering. _

_ We will kill one lineage to serve the other. _

_ The blood will rein peace. _

_ The land will live on. _

_ The reflections of your doings will sink deep through on the very dirt your ancestors will step on. _

_ Failure to appease will act with consequence, _

_ your actions untelling of what you will receive. _

_ After skipping over a few words and tongue tripping over itself, Tooru had got through it much to his and Hajime's confusion. _

_ A scroll that laid dead on the ground prompted Hajime to take a look, noticing his best friend's name at the bottom. Names were scribbled carelessly across the list, the tops having pristine penmanship until they slowly descended into madness. The writer who wrote Tooru's name and now noticed his in an uneven column next to it had a madness decent, a time unknowing slowly growing closer. _

_ Names were also scribbled above, some of which he recognized as family of his or Tooru's but names pushed far back leaving him speculative. _

_ By then Tooru had lost interest, the figments of imagination taking hold of his mind once again and taking Hajime's hand with him. _

** ～～～～～～✯～～～～～～ **

Sometimes, when they had the time to think, it would be of the other. A longing after so much time away, and so much loneliness. But every time, without fail, they would always come back to each other whether they wanted to or not, under that same forests' canopy.

Oikawa would try to get out as often as possible as soon as he was comfortable with his high levels of power, and while Iwaizumi was harder to crack, forever being his fathers' son, he would break under the thought of seeing Oikawa again, as much as his personality had become shitty and often made him frown.

Their meetings would consist of catch-ups, stress relievers. The promise of the rapidly growing Hellebore flowers that scattered the area.

Sometimes listening to Tooru Oikawa rant about something stupid and just listening to his voice or simply looking at the patient and small smile and knowledge of the constant listener of Hajime Iwaizumi was just what the other needed to wind down.

Except when it wasn't that.

The shared grins and boisterous laughs melted to tears falling down the others' chest, begging for relief. One collapsing on the other in an attempt to shut out the world, to just stay in the presence of the other without leave and without the responsibilities falling on their shoulders.

It was often Oikawa, simply tired of the world around him and looking for that escape. Even then, there was always more to the story than simply that.

Oikawa had come pouting when they were fifteen that he wasn't strong enough one day after returning home from a journey to other kingdoms.

Iwaizumi scoffed, "You're plenty strong."

"Iwa-chan is so sweet. But don't worry you'll be able to catch up." Oikawa huffed a laugh.

Iwaizumi let it go, hoping Oikawa had too but the conversation didn't flow as easily. His voice had lost its genuine cheer and had put on a fake smile. Not only that, but his fingers and hands were heavily almost burnt, despite him trying to hide them.

"Oikawa." Iwaizumi had cut him off in the middle of a rant.

"Iwa-chan!" He puffed. "Don't interrupt me, I'm telling a story." He continues.

"Oikawa!"

"What is is Iwa-chan?" He exasperates.

"What's wrong?" He states simply.

Oikawa laughs humorlessly, a twinge of anxiety etched into it. "What are you talking about Iwa-chan?"

Iwaizumi pulls his hands out despite a whine from Oikawa and looks into his eyes. The doe-like milky brown with the red ring around that he'd fallen in love with had capsized into his iris, the eyes a quarter way red.

"What's wrong." He justifies.

And the facade falls into his arms.

The beautiful eyes fill with tears and tumble down his face. He crashes into Iwaizumi as if he were his only savior. 

"When I was traveling, I met another two kings-to-be." He said through the muffles of sniffs and talking into Iwaizumi's mesh undershirt. "My father made me fight them. They both beat me. There was a swordsman, stronger than even you." The words were split with a poison lace in them. "And an archer, a stupid, naturally gifted, a twelve-year-old archer. And my father just looked at me and said, "I wish my son was that strong. You'll just have to try harder Tooru." " Oikawa broke into a fit of tears again. "I'm never good enough for him. I'll never be enough for him."

Iwaizumi whispers to him, "You are good enough. Someone great once told me that."

They sit under the soft caress of the silence and the sunshine, Oikawa's sobs dying down into deep breathing as he falls asleep in Iwaizumi's lap to the calm of his reassuring voice. Iwaizumi runs his hands through Oikawa's soft hair a few times, before falling asleep against a tree, Oikawa clutched tightly to his chest.

He wished he never got to see Oikawa like this again, torn because he thought he wasn't good enough. Unfortunately, they were back in the same place one starry night, when Iwaizumi had caught Oikawa working to his death on his magic before making him come to his senses.

They both broke and strengthened themselves and each other a little that day.

** ～～～～～～✯～～～～～～ **

_ Hajime's Mother _

_ Tooru was picking at the grass in a bored, spaced-out state when Hajime came running through the clearing, tears in his eyes and a broken expression pained to his face. _

_ He fell to his knees right in front of Tooru, eyes hooded and tears cascading down his face. Tooru had been speechless, never believing that he was seeing his best friend break. The same person who stood up for him that night three years ago with no falter to his determination, the same person who withstood knight training with his father and came back with bruises and cuts when they would meet up, the same person who was a pillar, the one he was always leaning for support on with so much weight he worried that he was going to make him fall but never did was broken into the ground, the sobs swallowing him whole. _

_ Tooru encompassed him in a hug, his arms being the only thing he could use to protect Hajime in his moment of weakness and vulnerability. He had to, if Hajime was doing it the entire time then he had to, just this once. _

_ "What's wrong." Came the dutiful hush. _

_ Hajime continued breaking into Tooru's shoulder. "My-my-" He screamed there, wild and hysteric. "Mom, please come back! P-please don't leave me!" _

_ Tooru's words caught in his throat, dying with uncomprehension. _

_ "I'm so sorry," Carried with the breeze. _

_ "I could've helped her too!" he choked. "Dad took me on my first mission, i-it wasn't very big. Or it wasn't supposed to be. They didn't know they would come... Dad took me and escaped. I saw mom get shot right through with an arrow." Tooru drew circles on his back, not quite sure how to comfort him. _

_ "I wasn't strong enough Tooru. I could've done something, but I didn't." Tooru wonders that day why at eight he has to feel like he isn't good enough like it was his fault for the whole thing. He never knew Mrs.Iwaizumi that much, she was much like his father in going to trips and leaving for long periods but she was kind when she was around, exhausted, but kind, much like his own mother. _

_ He knew she was out for those long periods with blood trampled in her wake, but the kind that had to be shed for the protection of the children, the protection of the village. She still came home with a smile, despite the long gashes and new scars that painted her body each time. _

_ "You did everything you could. Can you imagine if you had just charged in there and died? Your dad would be twice as sad." The words hit him a little too personally. _

_ Hajime considered this, the pain still struck across his face as if with a sword and guilt framed his hunched over posture. _

_ "But what if I-" _

_ "No Hajime! You shouldn't have even considered it! You'd just leave everything behind for no reason? You'd die for your mother if she got to live and see her guilt?" Tooru knows full well the answer to both questions, but even so he asks them and Hajime relaxes in the slightest. _

_ "You are good enough! I've seen you practice before! Hajime it's not your fault! You are good enough." The words on his tongue are not known to him that day that he's speaking his own words of comfort, the irony passing over him with the cloud overhead. Hajime, that day, believes he had transcended past best-friendship. Whatever could be past best-friendship that is. He had his doubts when they first met. Tooru was a demon, and he refused to dislike him for petty reasons as such, but the village people talk and he had almost fallen into their traps. He also seemed whiny, something Hajime didn't want to deal with, but today his bias, his pettiness shattered like his tears when they mended to the ground. _

_ He knew that day that he would always be by Tooru's side, no matter what it took to tear them apart. _

_ The funeral was the following week, with tears overtaking the village. Iwaizumi's father stood guiltily by her grave, speaking promises he'd make sure to keep. Tooru's mother cried into her husband's shoulder, at least he had the decency to come back for once. _

_ Hajime had cried some more, but with that same determination lighting his eyes, no longer vulnerable. Tooru held his hand for the entire thing, his own promise to be with Hajime to his mother running deep through their pulses. _

_ They had both gained and lost something that day. _

** ～～～～～～✯～～～～～～ **

When it was Oikawa's eighteenth birthday, it was no surprise when it was announced that Iwaizumi was deigned to be his personal guard, his knight. Oikawa had sent him a genuine smile despite being told to be calm about the entire meeting, but the smile just happened to be the one that made his heart run a race or like he was casting a spell on him. 

It was a fancy meeting, Iwaizumi was running on lack of sleep from spending the night with Oikawa's endeavors. The meeting was important, he knew this, but all he could catch was "Oikawa, knight, coronation, leaving."

"Did you catch all that Iwaizumi? You look tired." Oikawa's father noted.

"Yes, you're correct." He huffed a laugh. "But I-yes caught all that."

Oikawa looked beside him with a knowing smirk. "I'll fill you in later." It said.

How Oikawa could be so professional and misty-eyed after a long night was beyond him. Iwaizumi inwardly scowled.

"Tooru, we'll be leaving tomorrow. We're taking almost the whole Guard for protection, and be prepared for your coronation upon our return." Oikawa's father turned away, his suffocating presence forevermore choking Oikawa.

Oikawa took Iwaizumi's hand and rushed out the door to the forest. They swept through the branches and past the new training ring built in the middle of the forest. They fell down to a different clearing, the sunlight filtering in the lush. The new Hellebore flower buds acted as a renewal to the different sights.

"Iwa-chan you're going to be my knight!" He spoke, breathless.

He rambled about his coronation the following week, excited to finally make changes in his tainted fathers' world. His eyes, however, spoke of new worries. Iwaizumi let him finish, comforted by the way Oikawa's face lit as brightly as the sun.

"Okay, so what are you worried about?"

"Huh?"

"Oikawa..." He softly caressed his shoulder.

Oikawa looked down guiltily. "My father came back recently, as you know. I looked into his eyes... they were soaked blood-red. He's used too much magic and I'm worried."

"I'm sure he'll be fine. Even if he does something, we'll be there to help him."

"I'm not worried about him. I'm worried about you."

That stopped Iwaizumi in his tracks.

"He's strong and dangerous. If he becomes uncontrollable, you, you-" He swallowed. "I would tell you how to defeat him, but I'm lost. He's been gone so goddamn long that he's become indecipherable."

The sun began to fall, the shadows becoming mended together.

"Good luck Hajime." Oikawa's hushed voice ran through Iwaizumi's veins with a shiver.

"Just please come back to me. That's all I ask."

He pressed a fleeting kiss to his cheek and tackled him in a hug. Iwaizumi, too astounded by Oikawa's un-Oikawa fragile whisps to move, wrapped him tight with all of his protection.

"I promise Tooru." Was the last thing he said to him.

Oikawa could almost sense that something was wrong. He sat in his room in the castle, fiddling with a small puff of fire before raising his head in alarm. He blinked curiously at the sudden action, but it wasn't long before the scent of dread weighed itself on him. His breath was snatched from his lungs, the dust around blocking his cognitive abilities. A subtle lick of iron raced through his tastebuds, the blood he dreaded playing with his salvia. He didn't have time to register the cold blood crashing through his body as he sprinted out of the castle.

"Hajime, Hajime, Hajime, Hajime, please don't die, you promised you wouldn't die, please be okay, _ please _." The unfiltered thoughts battled like a war, the excess leaking from his tongue in worried mumbles.

He knew he could make it to the other kingdom in a mere forty-two minutes if he sprinted. The adrenaline coursing through added on to his fuelled desires, the incessant headache of a chant slamming off every wall of his head. The echo sunk through him, realizing more and more what was at stake. His heart beat harder to his melody of doubt and feet almost tumbling in the grass when a hyperventilated shiver shocked his system.

It didn't even take forty-two minutes to arrive where he needed to be, the rubble and debris painted crimson at his feet greeting him too early. The iron scent took hold of the simpler air taste, the bodies and the mocking claret spilling like a sickly crude drawing hazing the far reaches of his eyes.

"Hajime."

He scrambled through the bodies, his stomach churning with not only nervousness but bile, threatening to spill just like the tears to his eyes.

He found him, the same way he found everyone else. Limbs splayed everywhere; played with like a plastic doll. Blood trickled out of a wound from the center of his chest, the hole horrifying to see struck through a piece of his untrustworthy armor. His eyes remained closed even after Oikawa shook him with croaked pleas and tears streaming down his face.

"Please, Hajime! Please!" He sputtered every syllable, hoping to open his eyes.

He knew that most dead people didn't get the chance to close their eyes upon their death, the ghosts of their pupils boring into wherever they are placed. If Iwaizumi's eyes had been open, Oikawa would've killed himself on the spot.

The grief, the guilt. Had his deep evergreens stared back empty, soulless, Iwaizumi would've trapped him there with the blood staining him until he was devoid of hydration and heart had flatlined. "This is your fault." The eyes would've cried back. "I'll keep you here until you die. It'll be painstakingly worse because you won't run and it will be slow. You'll go mad, or starve. You'll have wished you died by that same sword that brought me to my end."

The chirp of a bird snapped him of his daze. He was kneeling over Iwaizumi, blood dried and sunset hues coating his paling tan skin.

How long had he sat here, subjected to his own mind? How long had his own whirlwind trapped him with tormenting fantasies? Was Iwa-chan really dead? Or was it just his mind playing tricks on him? He laughed, loud and boisterous, he laughed. It was a mind game the whole time! Iwa-chan's not dead, just waiting for him at the castle! He's seeing things, of course, he's seeing things, he's always seeing things-

Another chirp. He felt tired, winded from the journey as the adrenaline became a distant memory. He recognized it this time. The field was full of bodies that lay like freshly bloomed roses peppering the field. He had found such a nice one too, but it wilted, that's too bad, it was such a nice little rose and it wilted-

Wilted.

Oikawa's eyes flashed open, the darkness almost encasing him. He gasped, his delusions fogging up his brain but the one that rang like an alarm blaring in his head came crawling back in the form of a spell.

"I have to do this fast. It might be my only chance."

He took careful time and consideration, glad despite the amount of backlash from Iwaizumi that he got to almost perfect this spell.

** ～～～～～～✯～～～～～～ **

_ The Final Spell _

_ "Tooru come here, I'm teaching you another spell," Akuma said amidst her husbands' stack of paperwork. _

_ Oikawa bounded into the room, a curious sixteen-year-old who had almost mastered every spell he was given and learned more by himself. _

_ He put his hand to his hip. "What could possibly be left?" A teasing lilt surrounding him. "You're so good at teaching that I've become just as good as you." _

_ She frowned, pensive. "I've really taught him everything, huh?" She thought. "There's one thing I haven't shown you." _

_ Oikawa's face mixed with confusion, intrigue, and frustration. _

_ "You really don't trust me, Mom?" He pouted. "And don't frown so much, you'll end up looking like Iwa-chan!" _

_ She sighed. Oikawa seemed to catch that this wasn't just a simple spell. _

_ Akuma was never very scared or worn out by teaching her son magic. He was capable like his father. There would be things to heed like "Just don't use this one in front of sand." or "Give it a little more time and patience Tooru, it's not just going to work." _

_ She always kept a smile as genuine as her care. Passing down her legacy and work was one of her only points of pride in the kingdom. _

_ But now she didn't smile. Her twin deflated brown eyes looked back, her tired side effects rimming below her eyes and around in a crease. She spoke formally, the joy in her voice stripped bare. _

_ "This is the last thing I can teach you." Tooru's eyes widened. "But this spell is special Tooru. This one you must be careful with. You get one shot with it and only one shot, do you understand?" _

_ He nodded feverously. _

_ "I may have told you long ago that I had never made any spells myself. But as I'm telling you now, that's not true. I kept it from you because I knew that you would do everything that you could to perfect it just like every other spell I've thrown at you and then some that you've created on your own." She sent him a soft smile and scruffled his hair. "I'm so sorry as well. You've done so great. You are one of the most powerful descendants of this bloodline. I should've praised you, been a better mother." The strain in her voice strayed with her bony fingers caressing his cheek, far too pale and skinny for a middle-aged woman. "I love you so much. Your father does too, even if he may not show it." _

_ Oikawa scoffed the concept of "love" from his father as foreign but softened from his mother's aged touch. "Please don't blame me for keeping this from you." _

_ "I understand Mom, I don't blame you!" He grinned. _

_ She huffed in relief. "I created this spell as an atonement. Do you remember Iwaizumi's mother?" _

_ He nodded, flashes of the memory when Iwaizumi had told him about her death. _

_ "I and she were best friends long ago. We came from the same kingdom and had many adventures together. It reminds me of you and Hajime actually." Reminiscence tendered her heart. "I was sent to marry your father but refused to leave without her. I never wanted to get married actually. I had Senshi and I was okay. Certain laws didn't let us be us, being female and all. Soon enough we just couldn't fight them. She fell in love with a knight and I was married to the prince. We lost contact over time. She was always away and I was holed up in the castle. _

_ Then I heard of her dying on the battlefield and I wallowed in regret. I couldn't believe it. Maybe I could've saved her but I wasn't strong enough. I could've done something but I didn't." _

_ Her words rang out familiar as a bell, Iwaizumi telling him the exact same thing eight years ago. Guilt filled his heart. _

_ "So I created this spell. So if I was ever in the same situation again, I wouldn't hesitate. And I'm sure you have people like that too. Or a person specifically." She giggled. _

_ Oikawa's cheeks brushed rose in retaliation. _

_ "Another thing you should know is that if you kill someone yourself, you can't get them back. They are gone forever. _

_ But the price. The price of this spell is detrimental. Your eyes...'' She whispered. "You know what happens. I don't know if you'll be able to come back." _

_ Her eyes almost mirrored his own, being filled half-way with red but still reflected with the natural russet. _

_ "Just promise me you'll be careful Tooru, that's all I ask." _

_ "I promise Mom, just trust me!" _

_ "I do Tooru, I do." _

** ～～～～～～✯～～～～～～ **

Oikawa's concentration wavered to his overbearing heartbeat. He chanted wildly, recalling the spell to his perfect recollection.

He felt his veins turn to ice but light aflame. It felt like a fever dream, sickening but hypnotizing. His breaths became shorter and he scoured for air. 

The soft oozing coming from Iwaizumi's chest halted, the hole repairing itself as if it were never made in the first place. 

Oikawa cradled his face, he now in a soft slumber instead of a pained stopped heartbeat.

But the breath in his voice caught, Iwaizumi being the least of his worries now. 

His head dropped against the blood-soaked grass just as Oikawa waltzed away.

He took notice of his father and scowled. Stepping on his face with disgust, the red of his pupils mirroring that of the blood that gushed over his face.

"You vile old man. Couldn't control your power so you killed everyone else then yourself. Let it be known that I'll be better than that."

_ It was a dreamscape, falsely conjured up from some sort of subconscious. The soft easy breaths of a man in a simple slumber had changed to erraticacies and hysteria. Iwaizumi had opened his eyes, looking up at a clear sky and felt peace, the breaths of before trying to calm him because the presence of a certain person wasn't interloping his thoughts. _

_ He found that the sky wasn't the common sensation of blue, but turned a murky crimson upon him trying to move. He was trapped to the ground, the familiar Hellebore flowers trapped around with him and vines entangling their way around him slowly, ensnaring him. _

_ He felt no pain, no panic. Just the velvet of the sky and the nature numbing his mind. His eyes hazed over as a vine roped around his neck. _

_ "Oik-awa...?" _

He was startled awake, the nature that served as his dying peace vanished. it was replaced by blood that spilled all around him, the crimson accompanying the bodies of the people he had served with. The sheer glance made him feel sick. How long had he been here? The blood looked dry, nonexistent. He was glad Mastukawa and Hanamaki had stayed home.

The two people he spent the most time with while training was them. Despite the need to see Oikawa again, they were good company. He had talked about Oikawa so much they'd probably understand if he went to them first.

He couldn't stay here, he had to go home. 

He couldn't stay here he had to go home.

_ He couldn't stay here he had to go home. _

** _ HE COULDN'T STAY HERE HE HAD TO GO HOME. _ **

The nine words became a mantra, his only reason to get to the village as fast as he could. He noticed later that he not only was the only one who survived but he had no wounds and felt no pain. Scars were littered across his chest and arms but that was the only lasting effect. 

He entered the village, an empty shell of the happiness it held before. 

He ran to Matsukawa and Hanamaki's house on his way to the castle, pounding on their door to make sure they were alive. 

"Who's ever out there you better hope you won't be killed-oh my god-Iwaizumi," Matsukawa answered the door. 

"Hi, I'm on my way to the castle, where's Oikawa?"

"Wait-hold on-we thought you were dead!" 

"Why would I be dead?"

"That entire fleet that went out was slaughtered! Or so we thought..."

"Wait is that who I think it is?" Hanamaki's voice chorused. "Iwaizumi, you're alive?"

"Yes, now where's Oikawa?"

"You've been gone for five months and the first thing you ask is where Oikawa is? He's completely different from what you told us about him." Matsukawa looked as if he'd seen a ghost.

Iwaizumi didn't have time to dwell on the fact that they had said he was gone for five months. "What month is it? Actually, what happened to Oikawa?"

"It's September. And Oikawa, he came home from leaving for a day to god knows where. He had the stormiest look in his eyes."

"And his eyes, they weren't normal. They were entirely red, flaming." Hanamaki interjected. 

"He's become a dictator Iwaizumi."

"He's been terrorizing the entire village. We have no idea what happened to him." 

"Wait, you said his eyes?"

They both nodded.

This line of red, it was too familiar. A dance between evil and good just as Oikawa had warned him about his father. 

His father. 

That's where this had started. 

It wasn't an ambush, he had killed them. Some sort of remorse or a filtered part of his brain must've reacted and killed himself. A cruel fate for a sick curse. 

Oikawa had told him that the only way to increase your chances of being corrupted was to-

Use magic.

What had he done?

_ What had Oikawa done? _

He wasn't close to turning...so what had he done?!"

"That fucking asshole. I _ can't believe him _ . That _ stupid _ , _ selfish, asshole _."

Matsukawa and Hanamaki curiously frowned. 

"He'd done something stupid, something along the lines of me." It all made sense, why there were only scars and no pains and why he was the only one alive.

"I have to leave. I have to find him." He sprinted to the castle.

"Iwaizumi-" One of them had said, but he was too warped in his own mind to care.

"Don't worry about me! I'll straighten this out. _ I'll straighten him out. _"

** ～～～～～～✯～～～～～～ **

_ Present _

Both torn by pressure, and emotions laying heavy, Iwaizumi almost toppled over. The weight felt like too much to carry anymore, the wild look his best friend's eyes never ceasing, and the trails of breath never getting longer. He knew that Oikawa's pure would outrank his own but he wasn't aware of the pure darkness ascending him, smashing Iwaizumi to the ground and laughing with that dark crimson gleam in his eyes. 

But Oikawa had to be reaching a limit, for as much as the word itself tore Oikawa apart and made him lean to something for support, this was Iwaizumi's only saving grace.

"You're looking-" Oikawa huffed, exhaustion bleeding through his features. "Tired, Iwa-chan. Are you-quitting already? I expected more."

"Shut up. You're in the same position-asshole." 

"Oh? Then I'll have a problem finishing you, I suppose. Just watch me blow you to smithereens because this _ it _ Iwa-chan! My final attack." It was a drawn-out sleaze of breath, an attempt to convince the best friend that couldn't be convinced. 

He had simply been stalling, Iwaizumi realized with energy sparking at his hands and a familiar feeling sunk through his chest. 

This spell, this specific spell was the first of all that he'd learned. Iwaizumi specifically remembers that day, pride and awe painting his pure fawn eyes. It had taken a while for him to actually perform the spell, but a small ball of lighted energy flamed his palm. Years of perfecting it and it still took a while to perform but it radiated energy, one that makes his enemies cower and allies turn to him in recognition. 

He wasn't sure if it was the darkness or Oikawa's pure work but the energy was fizzing out sporadically and there were five balls of it, each tainted dark as a sick reminder. 

"I'M GOING TO DESTROY YOU!" Hajime seethed, feelings of helplessness and wanting clouding him. 

"_ I just want my best friend back _ . _ Please come back Tooru _." 

"COME AND KILL ME THEN!" Tooru yelled manically, darkness conversing with challenge, unrestrained power igniting alighted impulse.

"_ This isn't me...please Hajime...I-I can't control it anymore...please save me _."

The first orb flew past Hajime, an indent chilling the wall. He stepped a little closer before the next one flew toward him.

The second blew into his arm, rendering it useless. He gasped in pain and almost dropped, tears kissing his upper cheeks. 

The third he barley avoided, the adrenaline seeped through the sweat. Two circles now indented the wall, so close to interchanging but separated by a non-existent distance, one of longing and a line made by choice. Hajime stepped ever closer.

The fourth hit him straight on, sent him flying slightly backward. This one had to have been weaker, he should be dead. With a dizzied footing and a cough of blood, he ran straight on. 

Did the fifth ever come? He didn't know. His adrenaline carried him toward Tooru, toward the one thing he had been chasing this entire time, the one thing he'd continue to chase. Tooru's breath caught in hesitance, that crucial mistake that he'd been unconsciously planning. 

Heaven hit first, two destined lovers interlocked by fate. How it felt so right like it had been wrong that they waited so long. 

Limbo hit second, tears and regret first spilling from his own cheeks and blending with Hajime's. 

Hell hit third, the pain of that end, that sword straight through his chest. He fell to his knees, Hajime right beside him in a painful embrace.

"Hajime..." He croaked weakly.

Hajime hazily gazed into his tired copper eyes, the purity taken from within his smile. Tears blurred Hajime's vision, adrenaline fading and realization settling. 

"Tooru-I-I..."

"No...this is my fault...you did the right...thing..."

"I could've found another way though! I could've-"

"This isn't your fault..." He coughed up a string of blood. "Just like your mother...I'm not leaving...until you forgive...yourself..." His eyes fluttered to a close.

"TOORU!"

"I love you...Hajime."

** ～～～～～～✯～～～～～～ **

_ 15 Years Later _

Hajime Iwaizumi returned to the kingdom with the king, another trip and agreement deemed successful. Takeru Oikawa had taken Tooru's place as he was his nephew. Hajime stayed in that same place, in that same castle, by that same side to the king.

Hajime greeted Hanamaki and Matsukawa, bittersweet smiles and waves exchanged between them.

He ran toward the forest, armor and age slightly slowing his progress. It didn't matter how slow he went, however, because if his arms and legs were severed he'd still make his way to that clearing in the forests' canopy. 

He picked a few Hellebore flowers to replace the ones he'd put in front previously. 

He stopped at that headstone that had haunted his dreams for the longest time until it turned into the only thing he wanted to see all day. He softly put the flowers in front of the careful engraving, wary as to not disturb Tooru. 

_ Tooru Oikawa _

_ XXXX-XXXX _

_ Beloved Son, Brother, Uncle, Friend _

_ and Most of All, Lover _

_ Rest in Peace _

"Hi, Tooru." He started. "It's good to see you again." Hot tears ran down his face as he looked to the sky.

Hajime couldn't help but feel like there was another ending, like there was another outcome to change their finale.


	2. The Present Won't Define Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the present is revealed, fighting ensues, and someone else gets hurt.
> 
> (Someone always gets hurt).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! I mean you really wouldn't have got rid of me if you came back, so I suppose that really wasn't the right choice of words haha. Currently, at the time of writing these notes, I'm drowning away my sorrows from getting a 65% on a paragraph in AP English (I'm a 90 student rip) as writing feels like the only thing I could even be considered good at. To my teacher: thanks. She told me everything was fine and then I fixed and rewrote it and it all went to shit. 
> 
> Edit: She's letting us rewrite it! So now I'm having a panic attack on how to fix it and make it perfect! Yay! 
> 
> Edit 2: When I finished writing the chapter, this paragraph had been handed in. I'm now very nervous about my mark as I spent a good hour before I could actually start writing anything on it.
> 
> I'm really sorry but this is going to be a shorter chapter. I had writer's block and I'm really not good at writing fight scenes. This really didn't turn out to my 100% satisfaction but I don't know how to make it better so I guess we're sticking to it. 
> 
> Music!: (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞ [☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZDmJsotzso)

_Oikawa stood face-to-face with Iwaizumi, menacing looks fueled by darkness and evil rooting desire._

_"The reason we're here is because of our choices. Now, aren't you here for a fight? Let's get on with it." Oikawa said simply as if this bored him._

_Iwaizumi couldn't believe him. This was the same Oikawa who cried on his shoulder, told him he wasn't good enough. Where did that person go? That person he fell in love in that time that felt like so long ago, where did he go?_

_In its place was a tyrant, one of unmerciful power and one that brought pain to people that he had once cherished._

_And so it began, sword to magic, Iwaizumi to Oikawa._

Oikawa wore a cocky grin, one of glee. 

"Can't keep up Iwa-chan?" 

"You wish." He battled, wearing a smile that battled Oikawa's own to his slight displeasure. 

Oikawa battled back with a simple fire spell, one to perhaps test Iwaizumi. Iwaizumi dodged with ease, taking it as an opening and slicing at Oikawa. Oikawa backed away easily enough but must have lost his balance and fell to his feet while shooting off a slice of magic in defense. 

Iwaizumi's eyes widened as it indented a semi-deep scar across his armor. 

Oikawa dusted himself off, eyes no longer playing and sharpened to his opponent's strength. 

Iwaizumi's blood ran cold. Before he was playing with a corrupted friend, now he was with nothing more than the emotional soul of an enemy. 

"Do you really expect me to fight you...?" He whispered.

"I would hope so, I mean, isn't that what the prophecy said?" 

"Shut up about the prophecy for one second! What do _ you _want?"

"I'm going to fight you of course."

He proceeded to conjure up a bow made of pure dark energy, wildly firing at Iwaizumi with an almost accurate aim. 

Iwaizumi barely dodged ducking under an arrow before deflecting one with a sword. 

He charged forward, slashing that same sword he had for years under his father's commission.

Ah, the perfect opening. 

And without a beat of hesitance, punched Oikawa squarely in the jaw. He let out a small puff acknowledgment before tumbling to the ground. 

"I'll ask again asshole! Are we just going to ignore all those years, all of that time? You expect to just forget, and turn into the fighting machine my father wanted? Turn my emotions to black and make you bleed as if we've been enemies for years?" He seethed. 

"We are not the same people anymore, Iwa-chan." 

"ITS BEEN FIVE MONTHS!"

"Your time away is insignificant, just like all of it that we spent together!" 

Iwaizumi, with an overhead strike prepared, struck Oikawa as his legs rolled to the hard concrete. He kicked Iwaizumi in the knees back, Iwaizumi almost toppling over from bewilderment. From there, it became hand-to-hand combat, a series of blocks and punches, blood spat in disdain. 

Oikawa wasn't the best and hand-to-hand but certainly wasn't terrible. Iwaizumi, who had half been trained in it, won these small matches with ease. 

"_ A distraction _ ," Iwaizumi thought. " _ Best way to get another hit in _." 

Both minds were running at record speed, "_ how can I defeat the person in front of me _?" This person had turned into an enemy, someone of no longer of reverence, but one of resentment. 

Iwaizumi pulled Oikawa's head back by his hair, readying another punch. Oikawa's effort to block was futile and was hit full force with a pang throbbing at his face. The blood was thick, the arena no longer smelling of joyous memories of a time long past but the iron blood of now, the thickened scent almost choking the dense misery. 

Oikawa was far from gone, however, charging up a beam of dark energy. Iwaizumi growled in agony as his back was scarred by the twilight force. He felt the armor melt from behind him, faltering before getting back up, those pained eyes turning to those of the physicality and mentality. 

He wobbled but charged, swinging only to be stopped by darkness piercing his hip. He collapsed to the side, blood splurting its way out. 

"I hope you're enjoying this." Iwaizumi sputtered weakly. "You chose it."

Oikawa's eyes slit to disdain. "You think I _ want _this?" 

"And yet you're doing it anyway." 

"Agh!" He coughed, Oikawa kicking his back. 

"I have to kill you Iwa-chan." Oikawa puffed as he got right in Iwaizumi's face. "You will stand in my way every time. I can't let you live." 

"Stand in the way...of what?"

"I'm going to run this kingdom better than my father, better without "peace of other kingdoms". 

"You're going to annihilate them. Everyone else will watch that bloodlust! Do you know how much they'll suffer?" Iwaizumi breathed, strangled and broken. "So why blame the prophecy of all things?"

"Because this was bound to happen, no? I was going to kill you regardless. _ I was going to kill them regardless. _ And I know you're curious about my eyes, but let's just say it was...a push in the right direction."

"You selfish-augh!" Oikawa stomped down on his stomach and let his foot rest there.

"Be good and _ die. It's much less painful for both of u- _"

Mustering up all of his strength, Iwaizumi curved his hand around Oikawa's ankle slamming him down to planet earth, just like with his objectives. Iwaizumi didn't get up, accepting defeat. Oikawa didn't get up, unaccepting of defeat. 

"_ How could you be so selfish _?" 

"I have no idea what you're blabbering about Iwa-chan." Iwaizumi weakly slapped Oikawa's back, the small thud making his insides churn. 

"Why am I alive?"

"Because your mother gave birth to you, that's a pretty stupid que-"

"** _ Oikawa _ **." Iwaizumi gripped Oikawa's robes, knuckles turning pale too easy amongst the crimson and slipping back with a hard thud to the ground. 

"You died that day." Oikawa starts. His voice shakes in the slightest, not even a possessed Oikawa could cope with his death. (Or so he hopes) "Mom taught me that last spell a few years ago. It was actually intended for your mom, just...too late. She told me I had one chance. I used it on you." 

Oikawa rolled around, the tiny movements fractured and tired, dexterity falling like the shatter of a mirror. 

He looked back at Iwaizumi with his eyes watered, each tear breaking the crimson in his eyes bit by bit. 

"_ Tooru... _" Iwaizumi whispered, exhaustion taking over, eyes fluttering to a close.

"** _ Hajime _ **." 

Iwaizumi startled, breath stripped from his lungs in a painful tangent. His eyes blared open to Oikawa being completely consumed once again, power rippled through his soul and fatigue no longer weighing him down. 

Oikawa was powered by the drunken drench of madness, a smile that had melted from innocence and guilt to domination. 

Iwaizumi was lifted up by the dark energy, choked at the neck. His pained zephyrs drained and the rasps were overtaken with the night toying with his eyes. 

"To-oru. Please-"

"Don't worry, I'll make it pain-" Oikawa dropped to the ground, his grip on Iwaizumi loosening. "No-you were supposed to be gone! Stop coming back! Stop trying!"

"Don't let it win-augh!" That ticking time bomb wouldn't lose its hold. 

"You may not be able to handle pain well, but guess what, I can! I'm shutting you up for good!" He pressed a ball of the eventide to his stomach and screamed in pain. The blood poured out in large quantities making Oikawa almost faint at the feeling but some force was footing him upright, giving him an enticing goal. 

That was how Hajime found himself wavering on cloud nine, so high in the air that he wasn't sure what was going to make him faint first. It was almost surreal, having a few seconds of calm and embracing the haven before falling straight back down to earth, the hope for a haven the last thing he let slide through his fingers. 

Oikawa collapsed nearby not too long after that. 

What had done it didn't matter. Why he remained alive didn't matter either. All he knew was that his blood ran dry next to him, a miracle coating it and that his best friend that lied next to him was gone. It didn't matter whether he was alive, dead, suffering or in euphoria, his best friend was dead. 

Oikawa Tooru sat straight up in a panic, unaware of the time and circumstances. A blanket of stars covered the sky to his confusion, inquisitive to how much time had passed. Until it didn't matter. Until he saw that Iwaizumi wouldn't get up no matter how many taunts and shakes he tried. 

Tears stretched down his face as Oikawa tried to find a pulse, tried to find _ hope _but was unsuccessful. 

"Iwa-chan, please wake up...please!"

Oikawa gripped onto Iwaizumi's blood-stained armor, the only thing that had any life living through it. Oikawa had killed the rest of it. This demon, this magic, had controlled him and killed his best friend. To just look at Iwaizumi now felt like he was going to throw up with his guilt. 

Iwaizumi didn't stare at Oikawa back, eyes closed to serenity and limbs splayed in an amusing sleep-esque position. It felt as though he was telling him, "I know it's not your fault, please don't shoulder all of the blame." but Oikawa Tooru couldn't believe it- couldn't believe any of it because he had just killed him and there was no right in the world to fix it. 

And so he sat, for hours on end sobbing beside him on those weird storm-filled nights and kingdom peace in chaos but he couldn't find a single thought in his mind that cared. 

Oikawa couldn't look back at that village for a long time. Many had already forgiven him and were urging him to come back. Was it ever that simple though? 

He constantly danced on the threshold of life and death, his thoughts swaying on what would punish him the most.

"I should be dead. Why am I still alive? Could he take my place? I don't deserve to be here." One day it was a regret for living, an unmirthed heart letting him stumble and ignore everything of importance. 

On other days he wished not to be dead, for even though he knew no god would let him near the deserving gates of a heaven where Iwaizumi would surely go, simply being there would invoke curse after curse, Oikawa's very existence plaguing him to the afterlife. 

He'd hardly get any sleep most nights, covered in the thick forest mud and the uncomfortable ground. His thoughts blazed like a racecar relentlessly finishing each and every lap, but every lap was another day and Oikawa wasn't sure if he should be living this "lap" or not. 

"So many things unsaid..." He pondered one night. Those feelings he held had just hindered him, hurting the one he loved most. He was never able to say last words, no goodbye, I love you or any other sentence other then what his possessed, hungry, tongue had let sing. No token of friendship, nothing to let Iwaizumi know that despite everything he still cared and even though he didn't want Iwaizumi to reciprocate, he would anyway. 

Tears welled in his eyes as they always did every night. That full moon was condescending, the explanation for why this was jumbled up in Oikawa's brain and he made no effort to find it. 

"Hajime..." He whispered to the forests' indulgence. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. Please come back! I...can't live without you here!" 

He sobbed this night away, and the next and the next and the next.

** ～～～～～～✯～～～～～～ **

_ 7 Years Later... _

He'd never forget those faces as he walked back into town. Yes, some looked at him like he was the scum of the earth, that the world didn't deserve to have someone killing their precious knight. What right did he have to be walking among the innocent, those he tortured with blood under his rule? 

"_ You have every right _." A small sinister part of him laughed, high on its victory as it slowly faded away. 

But he was not all greeted with these cross looks, for women ran up to him with concerned looks and festive smiles, the men looked with curiosity and the children with awe. 

"Tooru-kun! Oh my god is that you Tooru-kun?" 

"Namiyaze-san." He dipped his head in recognition. 

Namiyaze Kirigiya was the local baker, someone who people loved, but feared. She was decently big, her smile always reaching ten times more than her weight. Always using the first names of everyone, she cared so much for all the passing villagers. She withheld herself fine, no lover in her life and she never seemed to need one. She always pointed out when something was wrong, never scared to voice her opinion. She campaigned behind the shadows when Oikawa was had played with the lives of the village but it worked to no avail. Perhaps something told her that her little "Tooru-kun who came to the bakery every day with his best friend" was still there and she wasn't ready to give up the past quite yet.

"Oh, Tooru-kun. You look so worn out." She lightly dabbed at the dry blood and mud scrapped on his face. "Your mother greatly misses you. You _ really _ought to see her."

"Namiyaze-san I...I don't think I can." 

"Nonsense! Come by later and maybe I'll give you some milk bread."

"I-"

"It's Hajime-kun, isn't it?" She gave him a sad smile. He breathed sharply. 

"Please...everyone here knows it wasn't your fault. Takahiro-kun, Issei-kun, and Akuma-san told everyone what happened. And your eyes...they aren't red anymore. Now stop blabbing with me! She's waiting for you!"

And so her softened eyes and melancholic smile followed her into her shop as the tears flowed down his as he rushed to the castle.

People's heads turned left and right, shock and confusion painting them with his every move. Oikawa didn't give them another glance, running through with his head held high. 

The only place he'd find her, his fathers' study. This still sickened him, how even after his death she was still his slave. 

And there she was, that stack of papers lording over her, her tired eyes with many more bags putting weights on her and her frail arms robotically writing piece after piece. 

"Mom..."

She slowly turned her head, eyes lingering on the paper as much as she could. "Tooru..."

He jumped up, crushing her in a hug. 

"Oh Tooru, where have you been? I missed you so much." She croaked.

"I-I just couldn't come home...I missed you t-too though."

She gave an empathetic sigh. "Hajime..."

Oikawa sniffed in response. "I used the spell."

"I know."

"I k-killed him!" 

"..."

"I can't bring him back."

"I know." She sniffed, maybe at the memory of Hajime or perhaps what happened to her, her Iwaizumi gone too. "We had a funeral for him. No one blames you Tooru. _ I _don't blame you."

"I-I had one too. I know that too-I just miss him so much."

"I know." She whispered. "I know."

Akuma Oikawa may not have been the best mother, but at least she was a good caregiver. 

And so this was how Oikawa spent the rest of his days, unable to look back at that throne. He worked with his mother, the hours she spent slaving away from her husbands' grave turning into her and her son becoming the masters of their own craft. 

This was happiness he supposed. But there was always a hole, something missing from his life. He knew what it was and pretended to not to notice it but he'd come back to that grave. He could compensate nothing but his spare time and his voice. So he talked to him on end about activities, other kingdoms or the village. He'd look back after he left, a soft smile gracing his lips. 

"Goodbye, Hajime." He'd tell him each time. 

But something was always off. 

Tooru couldn't help but feel like there was another ending, like there was another outcome to change their finale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for leaving kudos (and comments when someone wants to), it really brightens up my day and makes me more motivated to write. At the last minute, I have dedicated this chapter (however shitty) to Olivia and Jessie, for me making the mistake on showing friends my ao3 stories and now I must live with the embarrassment of them reading parts to me in AP. 
> 
> Thanks to you two anyway, you always make me smile however grim assignments look.


	3. The Future Won't Kill Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is the cost of happiness? 
> 
> Money is what most people will place as a price. 
> 
> Sacrifice is the one people often forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So quick first update on that paragraph I've been yelling about: I got an 88 and I'm so relieved.  
Anyway, I hope everyone's doing well and will enjoy this chapter. One more to go! (Yay!)  
Music!: (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞ [☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txCCYBMKdB0)

_ Tooru..." Iwaizumi whispered, exhaustion taking over, eyes fluttering to a close. _

_ " _ ** _ Hajime _ ** _ " _

_ Iwaizumi startled, breath stripped from his lungs in a painful tangent. His eyes blared open to Oikawa being completely consumed once again, power rippled through his soul and fatigue no longer weighing him down. _

_ Oikawa was powered by the drunken drench of madness, a smile that had melted from innocence and guilt to domination. _

_ Iwaizumi was lifted up by the dark energy, choked at the neck. His pained zephyrs drained and the rasps were overtaken with the night toying with his eyes. _

_ "To-oru. Please-" _

_ "Don't worry, I'll make it pain-" Oikawa dropped to the ground, his grip on Iwaizumi loosening. "No-you were supposed to be gone! Stop coming back! Stop trying!" _

_ "Don't let it win-augh!" That ticking time bomb wouldn't lose its hold. _

Oikawa was in a flurry of two fights, one was the external battle, the person vs. person confliction. The other was with himself, tipping over the edges of right and wrong, life and death. 

Death was winning, dark magic swirling up was evidence of this as it choked Iwaizumi because of its own desires. 

"Please-Tooru...you're...strong...er then...this." Iwaizumi barley gasped. 

"Oh don't worry Iwa-chan, you'll get a full view on how much stronger I am." His lips turned to a devious grin.

And soon enough, Iwaizumi was shot through the air like a bullet. He flew higher and higher, was there no stop? Would he spend the rest of his life playing amongst the clouds, watching Oikawa from above? Maybe Oikawa-no Tooru was with him, them 5 years old again and he was trying to play hide-and-seek.

_ Where are you Tooru? I'll find you soon enough! _

The air around him strangled him further and further, eyes growing heavy and a bittersweet smile falling from his cheeks. 

He wasn't even aware he'd hit the ground. 

Oikawa waited oh so patiently for his victim to come crashing down to earth (literally and figuratively) and found himself fidgeting. Why? Why was this? He'd done it all perfectly. Fought Iwaizumi, killed him (just a matter of seconds now) and would soon purge the Shiritorizawa and Karasuno Kingdoms once and for all, leaving him and his village toward a happy, peaceful life. 

So why was he fidgeting, his heart racing faster in fear, eyes close to spilling tears over the brink of his eyes?

_ Iwa-chan-Hajime. _

"** _ Hajime _ **!" He screeched as the other sank down the sky like a fallen angel. 

Slowly but surely, life was fighting back, and having an overwhelming desire to save he tried to stop Iwaizumi's velocity. 

Iwaizumi didn't gracefully tumble to the concrete as one does as they flop onto a bed. The force became too much for Oikawa to handle and Iwaizumi still made his way to the terrain but only without a dent of rubble to show for it. 

Oikawa stumbled over to Iwaizumi desperate for his eyes, his voice, that touch that was so gentle even to a criminal like him. 

"Hajime...nononononono! Please get back up!" It seemed morality overtook depravity in the end. But at what cost? One Oikawa would laugh at if this weren't his current situation. His best friend's life, traded for his heart to just be a little nicer. 

Maybe if he wasn't so blinded by grief or had a single rational thought he'd check his heartbeat but he couldn't look back again. 

He'd love to ignore the fact that reality was cruel, and one of the only things that had ever mattered was gone, but the sky was no longer storming. 

He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding in. "Those people...the village...I c-can't believe I..." Raw droplets were the result of all that guilt, all of that uncontrollable power. "No...they must be safe now! I'm free from the curse, there should be no reason to-"

He was cut off by screaming. 

And more screaming.

And the air was polluted by screaming, screaming that reached the far corners of the forest. Smoke poured out of set up markets, cozy houses, and the mighty castle. 

"Mom!" He screeched, his voice stripped and run-down. But he couldn't move. He lay on his knees, petrified and powerless as everything he worked to protect went up in flames. But something else came to his mind. 

"The prophecy..." He breathed. "_ Failure to appease will act with consequence... _everyone dies if we are both kept alive. So Hajime..." He whipped his head around to knight, thankful for the perception switch. "He's just unconscious." He squeezed the other's hand, content by the share of heat. 

"The prophecy is burning right now. Will that reverse the effects? Is everything just a dream then?" 

"Prophecy...not real."

"What?"

"Real prophecy...burns when touched...by...destined ones..."

"Iwa-chan!" Iwaizumi's eyes were almost empty and his words were mumbled and ragged. 

"Real prophecy...not here...destroy real...one. " He slipped back into an unconscious state.

"_ Shiritorizawa, _" Oikawa growled. "Iwa-chan...thank you so much. I'll be right back. Rest easy." He left a chaste kiss on his forehead and propped him up to a more comfortable position.

He ripped off his cloak and adorned a new artic blue outfit with gold tracings. "I have a _ date _ with _ Ushiwaka _." Determination flared in his eyes and a silver laurel crown now occupied his soft waves. Silver, to remember his favorite knights' armor as if it were his own. 

Oikawa raced through the wind, not as fueled by adrenaline and instead decided to take a horse. He felt numb, the actions of everything around him swirling like a storm. Hajime, Hajime was alive. But everything was a collapse of chaos thanks to the god awful _ prophecy _. His mother was dead, all the people he'd loved and protected were tortured. 

"I'm so selfish. She-she's gone." Years of unattachment meant that she only talked to him while teaching. Her head was sometimes just too warped by her husbands' delusions. However, she was still his mother. A mother worth tears no matter how twisted life had gone for both of them.

"_ What if it doesn't work _?" Echoed through the back of his mind. "What if it doesn't work? What-what if it doesn't work? Hajime-Hajime what if it doesn't-AH!" 

His panic and ramblings were soon forgotten as he fell to the feet of Karasuno's prince, Kageyama Tobio. 

"Tobio-chan! What a _ lovely _surprise!"

"Are you okay Oikawa-san?"

"What do you want."

"My kingdom-it's collapsing. The people are suffering. I was actually coming to you to ask-"

"_ I know! I did it! My entire village is ruined-the people have died. If you'll excuse me, I have a prophecy to break to possibly save them. _"

"Oikawa-san I can also fix-"

"No! This is something your stupid, perfect, naturally gifted power can't fix! You can't bring them all back."

"But I can, I'll prove it Oikawa-san." 

"How? You don't have the power to reverse things!"

And of course, that idiot's simplicity shot straight through his arrow in a quick attack.

"A rematch," Oikawa said flatly. 

"A rematch." Kageyama nodded. 

Oikawa conjured up a beautiful array of light and blasted it at Kageyama. His pupils grew wide in shock. "It's white again." He smiled.

Kageyama winced at the light coming full speed toward him as he was hit back. He pulled out his bow and arrow, the same one he used to defeat Oikawa before. With an almost perfect aim, the arrow pierced Oikawa's knee.

"Ugh!" Oikawa fell to the ground, only to get back up with a wince and let the arrow fall.

"Right back at you..." He murmured. 

The arrow was enveloped in light, flying back to its owner with a simple flick.

"Tobio-chan why exactly are you so eager to fight me?" Oikawa asked as he dodged a barrage.

"I thought I told you?" Kageyama asked under a ball of light.

"Yes, but you want to prove something to me, no? So if you win and don't kill me, I'll still come after you." He gracefully jumped over a few honing strikes. "And yet if you kill me, you'll be guilty as much as you see me as a rival. What will you do then? You won't be able to fix it, no matter how much you prove yourself. I don't even know if I can do that."

"But-what? I-" Confusion made him slip, light piercing his chest. Coughing blood, the younger staggered up. "I'm not done-Oikawa-san!"

_ Sho-I won't lose. _

"I won't let you beat me this time, Tobio!" 

_ This one is for Hajime. _

The boy with the natural power threw his best, arrows of pain and broken dreams. The other who ruled hell and came back as an angel showed him in return glowing swords to pierce any harm, ones made of resolve and rebirth. 

This friendly fight ended with a friendly conclusion. Kageyama pinned to the ground, blood spewing from a few limbs and pain staining his face. Oikawa had almost cleaned himself up, the weapons Kageyama shot used like toys to his new power. 

"Please give up Tobio-chan. It's stupid to fight when you could be doing anything else." 

"Okay." He whispered. 

But of course, victory was all Kageyama could think about. Oikawa suffered a point-blank shot to the chest. 

"Ah!" He fell to his knees in front of him. 

"I can't believe you, you little shit. You'll never...change." But to Kageyama's surprise, the other started laughing. 

"Oikawa-san?" 

"You honestly think you could've outsmarted me with the same trick twice? You used this to beat me the first time, remember?" And Oikawa stood over him, the tip of the arrow leaving a little slice in his clothing. He gawked at it, "You've ruined my new outfit Tobio-chan!" as if blood wasn't staining his clothes and other gashes were littered across. 

He hopped on his horse who stood nearby, aloof to the peril of the fight. 

"You're just going to...leave me here?" 

"Tobio-chan, in the small time that I've known you, I know you've been through worse. You'll be fine."

Kageyama let out a small groan of protest but sighed in resignation. 

"Oh and Tobio." Came Oikawa's nonchalant voice. He didn't turn around. "Just because Chibi-chan isn't here doesn't mean you can blindly throw away your life. I know that if he found out you died stupidly he'd be pretty angry at you."

Kageyama wondered that day if tears could heal scars.

Oikawa Tooru only knew three things about Kageyama Tobio he could say with certainty:

1\. He was impulsive. He'd had a small history of angering his people and would often throw a temper tantrum when things didn't go his way. 

2\. He is existentially talented. Ever since a young age, he's had great power and skill in battle. The uncultured ones called him a genius, a King whose throne was occupied. 

3\. He met someone who possessed neither of these qualities, a boy who seemed to be at the bottom of importance to nobles. Kageyama had fallen in love with the person as pure as sunshine that made the other two qualities disappear. Like melting shackles, Kageyama Tobio basked in the heat that set him free. His attitude changed, he began to show respect to his kingdom and made more efforts to care. The sunshine stood at his right hand, his knight, similar to Hajime and Tooru. 

4\. Hinata Shoyo had died. 

5\. Hinata Shoyo was killed.

6\. Hinata Shoyo was murdered. 

7\. Hinata Shoyo met his end by the father who wouldn't accept the new emotions of his son.

Oikawa Tooru only knew three. Five. Seven. Nine??? things about Kageyama Tobio he could say with certainty:

8\. Hinata Shoyo shone ever brighter in heaven, cheering on the one he had fallen in love with. 

9\. Kageyama Tobio was wandering, lost, for the sun and heat he had been deprived of. He still doesn't know how his sunshine flickered out.

Oikawa began second-guessing leaving Iwaizumi on the ground. Leave it to Kageyama to plant a seed of doubt and uneasiness. He felt fine, conquering Shiritorizawa's castle the least of his worries. If anything, the change in the air began to unease him. 

He brushed it off, assuming it to be just the peril of the village. That was until he remembered what Kageyama had come to him about in the first place. 

_ "My kingdom-it's collapsing. The people are suffering." _

The perspective of the world flipped for him in that very moment, not just because of the comment, but the tangible proof that showered in the distance. 

Those same storm clouds that tainted the sky red and cast shadows of despair to the very crevices of the country raged behind him, not satisfied with two kingdoms-possibly more, and devoured the land. Things were set aflame to the very flutter of a touch from a pure woman. 

It was as if hell had opened up from below and started swallowing chunks of land with its intentions. It was as if hell itself wasn't good enough for the dead, so plaguing the living was an afternoon snack in the grand time they have of bloodshed and torture. 

He'd love to go back. He'd love to forget, run away with Iwaizumi at his side and the villagers safe and sound, but now it was impossible. 

The castle of Shiritorizawa loomed over him in the non-existent distance. There was an aura keeping him here, fear paralyzing his ability to look back, to redo. Ushijima would no doubt be in no state of panic. He thrived on chaos because of his perfect order, one that always led their battles to victory. At the center would be this Ushijima Wakatoshi, the left-handed swordsman that stood without a single loss as he ruled over the strict kingdom. 

As he rose to power he enjoyed the grief-stricken faces of the people with an upcoming disaster until the monotonic army swooped in and saved the day. It was the same cycle, one Ushijima got bored of quick as soon as he saw the entire army return without a scrape and the scrap of their winnings. 

Shiritorizawa drew people near with all of its outside extravagancies and heavy military power. That was until you went in and never returned. No one who knows the royal family secrets has ever entered Shiritorizawa and came out alive unless you are sworn to secrecy. Punishment for telling is anguish for everyone who is told and a specialty is given to the person that tells it. They keep you and you'd be lucky to have a swift death. Anyone foreign caught entering or exiting without some kind of permit is sickeningly tortured, where one is ripped apart by holding the strings of life and death and can't let go of either, not until they've had enough of you.

Demons were also targets. Harshly discriminated against, there lay not a single one in the kingdom.

Oikawa calmly approached the gate, his every breath already being tracked by the guards.

"Who are you and what is your purpose?"

"I'm King Oikawa Tooru of Aoba Johsai. I'm here to see Ushiw-King Ushijima."

"The King is busy. He wouldn't want to see someone from _ Seijoh _anyway. Now scram before we decided to execute you."

"I'm sorry, are they bothering you Oikawa?" Asked a formally insincere voice.

"_ Ushiwaka _." Oikawa grit, his narrowed eyes meeting the cold stones that shone with curiosity. 

"Don't talk to the King th-" 

Ushijima sent them a side glance. Silence and fear ended the taunts. 

"So have you finally come to accept my proposal in these trying times?" 

Right _ the proposal _. The one thing Oikawa had devoid his mind of until he just had to bring it up again. 

"Classy Ushiwaka-chan! If you know all about my suffering, a simple hello, or how are you aren't good enough?"

Ushijima ignored the comment and blinked. "I didn't hear an answer." 

"Oh, my god-you know what forget it. I'm not accepting your proposal, just like I said last time. Now can you please listen to me?"

Ushijima narrowed his eyes at the rejection but urged Oikawa to continue. 

"If you are coming here to not accept of your own free will this must be important."

"Yes, I'm looking for a prophecy."

"We don't have a prophecy you can destroy about us Oikawa."

"That's not-I'm looking for one about me and Iwaizumi."

"That weak knight you call a friend? You can do so much better. We have plenty of stronger knights here. You should at least consider staying."

Oikawa was officially fed up. He knew Ushijima was going to be a nuisance but him insulting everything about him every second was making him want to snap. And by snap, he meant to drive an extra bright arrow through his skull. Or throat. Or heart. Or any lethal place. 

"Please just take me to the prophecies." He grit.

"Of course."

The walk was filled with awkward silence until Ushijima decided to fill the air with _ great _Shiritorizawa history. The air looked a little gloomier after every fact Oikawa noticed. 

One of the corridors branched off to a little dead end with cozy rooms lining the walls. Each was guarded by a knight and red cloth obscuring the view of the mysteries inside. Ushijima took a right to one of the rooms where the guard bowed and let them through. 

Inside was a compact area covered with a thin layer of dust and fingerprints. Scrolls were messily shoved into square cubicles, some even tumbling out. Light enveloped a few at the presence of their destined ones.

"You'll have to excuse the mess. A traitor invaded the room a few weeks ago and it still hasn't been rearranged." His features scrunched in distaste for a moment before returning to normal. "I don't know if you'll find what you're looking for but I'll take my leave and wish you luck. Let me know when you're done. I'll be in the throne room." Oikawa gave a nod and hum of agreement. 

"Now...where would I find it?" He murmured before waving his hands around and soft magic enveloped one of the scrolls, unrolling it. He skimmed scroll after scroll, useless prophecy after useless prophecy cluttering his mind.

"Oikawa Tooru will come to Shiritorizawa..." Said the barley legible burnt piece. "Oikawa Tooru will join Ushijima Wakatoshi...what no!" Oikawa screeched before promptly decimating it, destroying the prophetic future. "Oikawa Tooru is in love with Iwaizumi Hajime...huh? This isn't even a prophecy!" He screeched to no one, a blush high on his cheeks. He was just glad no was around. He softly touched it before quickly folding it back up and shoving it behind a counter of scrolls. 

He sighed in defeat and embarrassment before picking up another one. The clatter of boots could be heard thumping down the corridor. 

"The Final Day...1004th descendants...this it! God, final-" 

"Stop intruder! Put that scroll down and put your hands up!" 

"Huh? No-Ushiwaka escorted me here!" 

"How dare you speak of our King in that way! And he let no such person enter! Now you must answer to him for your punishment!"

"Lovely." Oikawa sighed. He let the guards push him to the gold plated room. 

"Ushiwaka-chan could you please tell your neanderthals to get their hands off me?" 

"Oikawa what are you doing here? Are you here to finally accept my proposal?"

"NO! I thought we were over this! Can I just grab my prophecy and I'll get out of your hair...forever?!" 

"You are admitting to sneaking into my castle and stealing prophecies?" Ushijima tilted his head, amused.

"You let me in there!"

"I remember doing no such thing. You already know it's illegal to enter without permission."

"What?"

"His punishment your highness?" One of the knights bowed down and asked.

"Throw him in the dungeon. I will come on occasion to check him myself. Make sure you keep him _ alive _."

"Of course your highness."

"_ No _." Seethed Oikawa. Ushijima narrowed his eyes. 

"No?" 

"I'm not going to fall so quickly Ushiwaka-chan. Especially when you set me up." He swiftly blasted the two guards holding him. "You underestimate me."

More guards came to surround Oikawa but Ushijima held them off with a stare. 

"What do you propose?" 

"Fight me, one last time." 

"And what will that get you?"

"I've left my entire kingdom burn because I knew that I could never help them. This prophecy is the only thing keeping me hopeful. Believe me, knowing that I've almost slaughtered them all for good is slowly killing me, not that you'd ever know what that's like. I'm also leaving Iwaizumi behind. You know, my "weak knight"? Because I _ trust him. _ If I'm not there, he'll find a way." 

Ushijima frowned at this but took an interest in his proposition. "So you just want the prophecy if you win?" 

"Oh no, of course not, I want more than the prophecy. Like my village being stable, everyone who's died come back, us to _ never _meet again or for Iwaizumi to mar-come back but I can't have it all can I? So yes, I want the prophecy and to never see you again."

"What if I win?"

"We don't have to discuss that now. After all, you won't be getting any of the things you list anyway."

"Your Majesty," One of the guards stepped in, bewilderment coloring his face. "This is absurd. Please don't allow yourself to be tainted with the blood of this commoner. Please let me fight for you."

"Or me Sire."

"I would also love to, your highness."

"Quiet. This is no ordinary person. He possesses great magical strength and is a demon."

"_ A Demon! _"

"_ How could he just let in- _"

_ "Oh my god _."

Oikawa wrinkled his nose at the chatters and glared at Ushijima. 

"I will be fighting him and once he loses we will put in the original plan."

"Fine by me," Oikawa smirked as Ushijima stepped down and unleashed his sword. "You know Ushiwaka-chan, I've been looking forward to finally kicking your ass." 

"I don't think that's how this fight will go Oikawa."

"Look who's cocky now!" He laughed, loud and menacing. 

Oikawa conjured up his golden bow, light piercing the walls of stone. He shot a few test shots at Ushijima, them all being deflected. Ushijima took it as an opportunity and slashed at Oikawa. Oikawa blocked it, his arms now bleeding out of a horizontal wound. Ushijima went on a constant rush toward Oikawa who unwillingly had to play defense. Oikawa was pushed up against walls and could barley step away or put dents into Ushijima's sword. 

Ushijima knew that giving Oikawa a second of breathing room and he would produce a strategy to his advantage. So Oikawa created that opening for himself. He jumped behind the throne before jumping back out to sit on it.

"Look Ushiwaka-chan, who's greater now?"

"I don't see how this has anything to do with the fight Oikawa. You are about to lose." Ushijima slashed the throne in half, with a hologram of Oikawa disappearing with it. 

"Sorry about this Ushiwaka-chan! Actually no I'm not." Oikawa fired rings of bright energy all around the room. Each one blasted into a Shiritorizawa soldier and sent them all into the wall. The imprinted soldiers looked like the wall was carved so deep just so they could fit. "First the audience than the main act, huh?" 

"They were not an audience. They were my easily replaceable soldiers."

"Just a precaution..." Oikawa murmured. "Don't worry I'm not leaving you out!"

Ushijima continued his high-speed attack, catching Oikawa and leaving cuts across his body. 

"_ What do I still have the energy for? Ushiwaka's also getting slower. _" 

The fight seemed to last an eternity, memories of everything riding on this win becoming mentally taxing. It was starting to near the 15-minute mark. Oikawa was running out of stamina and blood seemed to drip from his entire body. Ushijima was being constantly slowed, the weight of the blade and injuries he took from the magic starting to run him down.

Oikawa quickly scanned the area in an attempt to gain the advantage before dodging Ushijima again, his breath barely escaping. Ushijima sliced at Oikawa's chest, missed but hit a target. Blood streamed down Oikawa's cheek like a waterfall. Spots tantalizingly danced in his vision, urging him to fall and never wake up. 

However, Oikawa wasn't quite done. "This is where it ends Ushiwaka-chan." He rasped. 

He shot that beautiful golden arrow across the soldiers ingrained into the walls and Ushijima didn't know where to look. 

"Up." was the correct answer. 

Oikawa flew on top of him in his moment of hesitation, the light enveloping Ushijima's sword. He may have deflected Oikawa but he forgot about the arrow. An arrow so perfectly aimed that despite the possibility of him moving, it still painfully pierced his back.

Oikawa was crumpled to the floor, blood leaking through the carpet to match its crimson. He fell unconscious as Ushijima fell with anguish, the arrow stuck in his back leaking out that same blood, human or demon alike. 

Guards plummeted through the castle to see the King on that ground sputtering blood and his opponent doing the same with his eyes forced shut. 

"Heal me dammit..." He croaked. 

A healer with a scowl and ash-blonde hair rushed to his side. The arrow clanged to the ground and the gouges he took that almost killed him disappeared as if they had never existed in the first place. 

"How could this have happened?"

"The King almost _ died _." 

"I've never seen him so beat up."

"_ Take that man to the dungeon immediately. _" Ushijima gagged. 

"O-of course your majesty!" 

And while one had fallen asleep to the clutches of the enemy, the other had woken to the flames of the Apocolypse. 

Iwaizumi Hajime woke to a burning touch underneath his entire body. He could've never imagined that the dark of his nightmares came to life on the land he lived on. He stumbled up, the only thing still protecting his entire body from being engulfed by flames was his armor. 

He knew he couldn't stay long because as Shiritorizawa had expected Oikawa, it was expecting him too. 

"You better be alright you asshole. Leaving me here and going to do everything yourself, you're going to die like that." He half internally scolded Oikawa for his frantic actions but was half proud that he just stormed Shiritorizawa. But worry took over all of those thoughts because _ Oikawa Tooru had just single-handedly gone to storm Shiritorizawa. _

"_ You better be okay idiot. _" 

Iwaizumi had never been to Shiritorizawa personally, but he'd heard the rumors and Oikawa had somehow never gotten caught for telling him. He could feel its watching eyes, analyzing his soul and trustworthiness. 

"Who are you and what is your purpose?"

"Iwaizumi Hajime of Aoba Johsai-"

"I'm sorry sir but you're going to have to come with us. We have strict orders to take you in if you belong to Aoba Johsai."

"What? Why?"

The two conversed on whether they should reveal the information before ending with "If we're just going to take him who cares? He might not even know the prisoner."

"_ Prisoner. Tooru you better be alright. _" Iwaizumi pursed his lips into a hard line.

"An intruder from Aoba Johsai stole from the castle and severely wounded the King. Do you know of an "Oikawa Tooru"?"

He pretended to think for a moment. "No, the name doesn't ring any bells."

"See!" One guard whispered. 

"How pathetic is the Seijoh kingdom to have its knights not even know their king?" The other responded as if Iwaizumi wasn't there.

"Okay, let's go." One ushered. 

"Yeah, you're right." Iwaizumi sighed. And without another warning, the two guards were heaps on the floor, donning a matching sword imprint. 

It was easy to see where the castle was, the only problem would be getting there. Soldiers patrolled every crevice of the kingdom. That was until he looked back at the soldiers he killed with white and maroon accents. He wasn't sure how long this disguise was going to hold up but he figured it would be good for now. 

It worked like a charm until he got the gate of the castle. 

"No one's allowed in."

"But I-"

"No one's allowed in."

"Tsk." This was getting annoying. Slaughtering Shiritorizawa soldiers was great and all but it wouldn't be long before they found who was cutting their numbers. These guards died swiftly too to the mercy of Iwaizumi's blade but not without alerting some others. 

"What the hell are you doing?" 

"This one's a traitor!" 

"Kill him!"

"Oh? What's all the ruckus out here?" A man with spiked up red hair peered out the door. He seemed to be a higher official as all the soldiers flinched to his voice. 

"This one-he's a traitor!"

Iwaizumi got down on his knees and placed his face to the ground. "I'm sorry sir, I was supposed to come in but the guards were trying to kill me. I was only trying to defend myself."

"Hmm..." He peered at Iwaizumi. "I'm sure we can trust you if you answer this _ amazing _history question!"

Iwaizumi internally groaned. What was the easiest way to kill all these guys without dying himself?

"Who is the King's favorite visitor?" He asked with a slight tease.

Iwaizumi was going to cry. It was going to be bad enough that he didn't know the answer but knowing the answer was now 100% more disturbing. "Oikawa Tooru."

"I know right! That guy never stops talking about how Oikawa's going to inherit the throne with him! Oikawa showed up _ once a _nd he's already-"

"I have really important business to do inside. Can I please go in?" Iwaizumi pleaded. 

"Oh yeah, have fun!" Iwaizumi almost choked at how friendly that was.

He walked down a long corridor as his mind began to swirl and the largeness of it all. Seijoh's castle might be big but at least he knew his way around it. This was a completely new experience. 

"You." Came a rough voice from around the corner. "I'm going to torture that prisoner. I want you to wait until I'm finished and send them this meal." Iwaizumi nodded, this must be Ushijima. His regal outfit and stoic demeanor seemed fit for an unmerciful king. 

He found the kitchen quite easily and grabbed a plate of a small assortment of foods, all moldy or in some shape or form disgusting. The smell was not pleasant either. 

"I have something for you today." Ushijima's voice bounced off the castle walls. 

"No..." A voice replied. It was so quiet Iwaizumi wasn't sure if he was hearing things or not. "No...please anything but that! Don't put it near me!" Iwaizumi startled. That voice was unmistakable. That was Tooru. 

He silently crept closer, his breath caught in his throat. He wasn't sure if he was breathing too much or too little with the _ thump-thump _of his heartbeat. 

"Why do it now?" Oikawa growled despite his fear showing through the crack at the "w". "What do you have to gain?"

Ushjimia smirked. "Those words sound familiar. Before I answer, however..."

Oikawa's pierced screaming rung through the castle, jolting Iwaizumi. He almost fell over, revealing his position. Ushijima looked over his shoulder and satisfied at the lack of people, spoke again. "I'm hearing of a spy around here from Aoba Johsai. You know, this is a win-win for me. I keep you here and your purpose gets destroyed."

Oikawa's eyes opened slowly as a response before composing himself. "You're sick. I-AHH!" Iwaizumi took a quick peek over and there stood Ushijima over Oikawa who was in a crumpled heap to the floor. His clothes and skin were heavily torn and thick metal chains were wrapped around his ankles and wrists. The only things that stayed the same were his determined chocolate eyes and silver laurel crown. 

"I've decided on something better." He said as he unhooked Oikawa's chains and bundled the wrists in his hand. "You-" He pointed with his free hand at Iwaizumi. "Come with me." 

Oikawa didn't look at him. His arms limply fell from Ushijima's hands as he was dragged across the floor. 

Oikawa's eyes had fluttered open and he tried to struggle by using magic. He was shocked again and he fell back asleep. It was like instead of holding on to the threads of life and death he was walking on them like a tightrope, one wrong step landing him in the wrong place. Iwaizumi didn't dare whisper to him to catch his attention.

Iwaizumi had to grit his teeth. What the hell had he done to him? It was taking everything for him to not just walk up to Ushijima and choke him from behind. 

They reached the center of town which wasn't too far from the castle. Within fifteen minutes, every commoner and soldier had been summoned. Oikawa in hand, Ushijima walked in the middle of the whispering crowd. They all quieted immediately. 

"This man that I have in my hands has broken into our kingdom and almost stole from us!" The crowd jeered. "Kill him! Kill him!" They yelled. 

"This was the item he was trying to steal!" Ushijima continued. The crowd looked at the paper with confusion. What was so special about a borning piece of paper? "I'm going to let him destroy it, right before all of you today." The crowd cheered. 

"NO!" Oikawa screamed. 

"Unless that certain spy wants to come out and save it." 

Iwaizumi almost dropped the damn food. 

He was speechless and rooted in the ground. _ No this was a trap _. He'd wait. 

"No one? Say goodbye _ Tooru _." 

But just as the prophecy brushed Oikawa Iwaizumi slashed at Ushijima. Ushijima startled, taken aback at the revolution. While Iwaizumi had this small moment's hesitation, he grabbed Tooru and took off. 

Ushijima couldn't speak for a few seconds, shocked.

"Your Majesty, what is your order?"

"After them!" Ushijima grit. Confusion no longer stained his features as anger took its place. 

That hesitation had turned out to be a huge mistake. 

In the distance of rumbling and chaos, the prophecy lay burning, the ink soaking to the ground. Somewhere else the hellebore flowers breathed their last, bittersweet to the corpses that lay around the village. 

Destiny was set in stone.

**～～～～～～✯～～～～～～ **

_ 15 Years Later... _

They had never actually found Oikawa and Iwaizumi after they escaped. 

Shiritorizawa viciously scoured for them, only to conclude that they ran to either the Fukurodani or Nekoma kingdom. The only problem was that they were fables, kingdoms made up in far off lands. Ushijima never quit though. He _ would _get his prize. 

That day Oikawa and Iwaizumi rode off on Iwaizumi's horse, Oikawa still weakened. Iwaizumi had taken off his chains which were sapping his magic and was able to shoot a few bullets killing the Shiritorizawa soldiers. 

The ride was a blur of "thank you's", Oikawa looking for solace, comfort with each other and fatigue to remember the events that happened prior.

They ended up far, far away. The lands ahead were scarily unknown. 

He knew Oikawa was going to break once he found out about the prophecy. He truly never cared about lots of the villagers. He had almost no time to interact with many of them. And even if they had plastered fake smiles on their faces they'd always criticize Oikawa for being a demon behind his back. 

They found new forests and were able to build tiny houses thanks to Oikawa's magic. But those chains had sapped him of some of it and he was no longer as powerful as before. 

Occasionally encountering villages, they didn't look for company. They took what they needed and left. The Apocalypse would swallow them soon. Best not to make any friendships. 

So this was their life now, running away from the inevitable. Iwaizumi could've laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation. And even though they had each other, there was always something wrong in the air. 

15 years of guilt pushed down by death itself. 

One starry night while the ex-King and ex-head knight of Aoba Johsai bore their eyes into the stars the knight sighed in appreciation. He had a feeling that this would be one of the last peaceful nights for a while.

And when a shooting star flew past their eyes they both made the same wish.

Tooru and Hajime couldn't help but feel like there was another ending, like there was another outcome to change their finale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me going from 7.7k words to 2.6k to 6k: PARKOUR!  
Sorry that this chapter took a little longer. I'm glad to have made it bigger so I hope that's okay for being so late.  
Comments and criticizations are always helpful!  
Come yell with me on Tumblr: https://rosiey9.tumblr.com/


	4. Time Does What it Wants

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A beautiful storm of flowers, poetry, demons, lifetimes and fates twirl on death's door. 
> 
> The stars shine from heaven and the sunset says hello and goodbye to color and the day. 
> 
> Sometimes there is no other ending, and there is no outcome to change your finale. 
> 
> We live like we die, as our fates intertwine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been one hell of a story to write oh my gosh. I'm sorry this came out so late, school and (my powers of procrastination) sports just made me delay writing this for so long. (Also I wrote this in a day?? Like it took forever but I don't know how I did that).  
This chapter is unfortunately very short and I apologize for that. I felt like if I tried to cram lots of words into this final chapter it would make it disingenuous. If there is anything you're wondering about that I missed don't hesitate to comment and I will have an answer.  
I hope you enjoy this final chapter!  
Music!: (☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞ [☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQOFHfDjWsI)

_Oikawa rolled around, the tiny movements fractured and tired, dexterity falling like the shatter of a mirror. _

_He looked back at Iwaizumi with his eyes watered, each tear breaking the crimson in his eyes bit by bit. _

_" Tooru... " Iwaizumi whispered, exhaustion taking over, eyes fluttering to a close._

_"** Hajime **." _

Iwaizumi slowly blinked at Oikawa. "No...Tooru. Please...rest."

Oikawa's eyes still burned with unrelenting determination, but his body could not withstand the fatigue. He charged up another attack, however weak. The small ball he conjured was an unstable mess of light and dark. It fluctuated, cracked into different sizes and masses of power. Oikawa could barley control it himself and fell over again. 

Iwaizumi weakly clutched Oikawa's hand. "Tooru...you dumbass. Killing me isn't going to solve all your problems."

Oikawa laughed. "You're just worried about your own life Iwa-chan." 

"No...I'm worried about yours."

"Mine? I don't care about what happens to mine. As long as we are thriving and Shiritorizawa and Karasuno pay for it."

"Tooru...you have to realize that you can't do everything on your own! You can't isolate yourself and expect the kingdom to thrive on bloodshed and hatred!"

"You don't understand."

"I don't understand? I've been by your side the whole time! If you think that I'm just going to let you fall, you'd be dead wrong."

"Why won't you leave me? I'll just hurt you in the process!" 

"You were just trying to kill me."

"It would hurt less than dragging you down with me and suffering." Oikawa grasped his hand a little harder. 

"Give it up then...Ushiwaka and Kageyama will get what's coming to them."

(Little did they know that a prophecy would crumble Ushijima's kingdom and a piece of heavens' sun just burnt out before Kageyama could fix it.)

"Plus you idiot," Iwaizumi said with a light shove. "You act like I'm not suffering with you like how you suffer with me."

Oikawa smiled sadly. "Thank you Iwa-chan." He scooted over to lay with Iwaizumi in a hug.

"Rest already Tooru."

"Yeah..."

"..."

"..._Hajime_..."

"What's wrong Tooru?"

"_Hajime!_" 

Iwaizumi bolted up at the distressed tone to see Oikawa also bolt upright and rapidly quiver.

"You have to kill me Hajime!" 

"What are you talking about?" 

"It'll always come back!" Tears were forming in his eyes. "Please! It's the only way to end this!" 

"I'm not killing you! I'll-"

"Then it looks like I'll be killing _you_."

Iwaizumi gripped onto his sword that was dropped nearby. He deflected another twisted magic ball at close range, the seeming end to Oikawa's magic. 

"I'm going to kill you Hajime! Just...wait..."

"..."

"I'm sorry Tooru..." Hajime tried to laugh, but it came out as a bloody cough. "We were so close...so close to a perfect happy ending..." 

The finale to Tooru's magic power never came. The ball he was supposed to release faded to white as the sword went through his chest. That same sword encapsulated them both in a hug of gore and death. The kingdom's faded emblem on the hilt didn't touch them, for it was not the kingdom and emotion that took them away from each other, but a twist of fate and the ease of the silver coloring.

Tooru's red eyes broke as the browns started to fade to lifelessness.

"This is how it's supposed to be...the hero who couldn't save his best friend dead and the "evil" slain from the village."

"No Hajime...you didn't...deserve to die..." Tooru sobbed into his shoulder. "Why would you...do that?"

"Because...I know that you'd be causing trouble wherever...you went next. Can't bother those poor residents of heaven..."

Tooru stuttered a chuckle. "You're so naive...Hajime...to believe that I'm...going to heaven..."

Hajime tilted Tooru's head up and loosely cupped his cheek. "Well someone has to keep you in check...and I'm not going down there..." He leaned in and pressed a kiss to Tooru's lips. He couldn't describe it-he wanted more. 

So many regrets that laid on his shoulders, so many things he's wished he done earlier. 

His knees gave out, and he took Tooru with him as he fell. 

A sunset closed up the distance, the brilliant colors waving goodbye from below the horizon. The clouds have cleared up and the navy urges the oranges and pinks toward the afterlife. Tooru is clutched next to Hajime, the color blending through his pale skin with new beginnings. Hajime's breathing gets shallow, and his vision begins to cloud with black. 

He notices the first sparkles of the stars and remembers back to a time when the boy of the sky fell in love with the boy of the forest. 

They say that when you die, your life flashes before your eyes. Every moment flickers and ticks by in your last seconds like an old movie skipping and fluctuating on a blank canvas. The people you know, the places you've been, and the memories you've made will all be left behind as you embark on a new quest. 

But what if you weren't confined to just one reality, one time when you existed?

What if you were created, multiple times over, different scenarios over, even down from a completely different universe to one decision you made in a lifetime. 

Hajime feels that floating, light sensation again. He hates it because it reminds him of falling away, of leaving. It tries to comfort him, as the light and they weightlessness assure him that he'll be fine, like there is a good place he'll be going, but he can only think of Tooru who's hand is falling out of his and how they have to be there for each other. 

The world fades around him and Hajime can't tell his surroundings anymore. Tooru's still beside him (like that will ever change) and he lets his fuzzy senses do whatever it is they do when you die. 

He looks over to Tooru once again and back down at himself. Lifetimes flash over his eyes, ones he could only sleep on. Their clothing rapidly gets mulled up with combinations of something new to accompany them as he looks through his different lives. 

There's one of them much older, in fancy clothing and weapons digging into their sides. Another older one, where they have middle-class citizen job attire. A third, where they are both whispy in color and have other animal-like body parts. Spirits of some sort. A fourth where Oikawa's floating in space and Iwaizumi still reaches out to him. Another one, where Oikawa holds a brown liquid in a cup and Iwaizumi falls for this seemingly ordinary version of him still. 

The one that stands out, however, is the one of them together in turquoise uniforms. They cry, laugh but are constantly pillaring each other. This alternate universe stretches longer and makes Hajime consider the basics of their friendship. They pour all of their emotions into a sort of sport and Hajime almost scoffs. 

Why would they do that to something so insignificant? It's not life threating and won't pull them down forever. So why were they always so sentimental about it?

That is until he realizes that this is their life in this universe, one of sport and pillars just like it is in their world with magic and flowers. 

In every world, they are stuck together and always come back to each other. He notes that it'll probably be this way forever, and he'd be just fine with that.

It is no longer a matter of where, and when. Who lives, and what political defenses you have to put up to survive.

There are no expectations to be filled.

There is no prophecy to be followed.

Following their deaths, the consequence of the two canceled out, spreading prosperity within the village. It now bustles with growing armies, food stocks, and friendly people that scatter around. 

Eventually, Tooru and Hajime were found and buried, side by side in that clearing in the forest surrounded by the flowers. The only family they had left was Tooru's mother, who visits them often. She became a better queen, and instead of holding herself in the castle, she interacts daily with the villagers. 

Kageyama spent two years of his life ignoring the throne to find Hinata's killer, only to burn the castle with only his father inside. He refused to take the throne after what his father had done and handed it over to Hinata's little sister. She became a great queen. Kageyama would help aid the armies when he ran across them on his mission to travel around the kingdom. He and Hinata were going to travel for a while around the world. Kageyama fulfills Hinata's dream, even as small as he's starting. There's promise in his every action now, a direction he now wants to fulfill. 

Kageyama aids Karasuno and Aoba Johsai to take down the Shiritorizawa kingdom. Ushijima (half-dead) fled to an unknown location. No one knows if he lives. 

They've never seen anyone ever around, but Tooru firmly believes he'll see his mother again someday.

Hajime and Tooru get married someday, in some time, at someplace. There is no flow of time. White noise flows through the air like petals in a flower field. This time it is a forever, a promise.

Life itself became a slow, metronomic rocking chair. The stars scattered its wood and the flowers and vines grew snugly around it.

A landscape that sat out on a void, their memories and possessions swaying along to the wind sit in wait for the sunset below the horizon.

**～～～～～～✯～～～～～～**

_"Hey, Hajime!"_

_"Hm?"_

_"What do you think of this poem I wrote? I was kinda thinking of us and how busy we've gotten. I don't want it to be something that separates us, so I wrote something about it!" _

_"You really wrote this?"_

_"Yeah, is it okay?"_

_"I didn't know that you could write poems. It's really pretty. _ _You know, I'd definitely publish this and make loads."_

_"So mean Iwa-chan! That's not even your work!"_

_"Okay, okay, how about this then? We'll both publish it and claim that it's true!"_

_"But it really isn't...it's not like we can predict the future..."_

_"Then we'll make it true, okay? Promise?"_

_"Promise."_

_"..."_

_"Well, are we going to the forest or not?"_

_"If that's it, then I'll race you there, Iwa-chan!"_

_"...You got a head start!"_

_"Hahaha!" _

_The past won't sever us_

_because through the world's ever-changing rotation_

_we'll always find each other back in that forest, the flowers' always welcoming us._

_The present won't define us_

_because nothing could ever sever our relationship_

_and the blood that we share that goes deeper than family and responsibilities._

_The future won't kill us _

_because we'll be taking it on together _

_and while we're together, nothing will tear us apart._

_Time does what it wants_

_but even then, I've spent all my time with you_

_and nothing will ever take away the colored memories even when our breaths stop and the sun sets over our corpses._

_We were fated from the beginning _

_and so I'll spend my entire life running back to you_

_from some measure of fate in any and all times and always find you waiting for me, with open arms._

** _The End_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for joining me on this ride. I know I'm not the greatest writer and it can take me a while to write but I'm so thankful for the kudos and bookmarks (and even hits). They just light up my day. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. I also have plenty of ideas coming soon so look out for those!  
(I'm also really sorry about all that poetry. I'm not sure if it was any good or not. Tell me in the comments what you think of it!)
> 
> https://rosiey9.tumblr.com/

**Author's Note:**

> And guess who's got a Tumblr now! So you can follow me on that if you want to. (Hope you enjoyed the story btw, comments are always helpful and motivating)
> 
> https://rosiey9.tumblr.com/


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